New neighbour
by Thenobledonna
Summary: Donna's left annoyed when somebody parks up in front of her car, but the person behind the problem is well aware of what he's done.
1. Chapter 1

_Okay, so this is the start of this fanfic. I wanted to do something that involved The Doctor acting as John Smith, and because Donna can't remember him as 'The Doctor' himself, I felt it'd be easier to combine the pair. I have seen some similar types of storylines around, but all of them are original and different in some way. I can't help but ship Donna/John and it's such a good way to bring Donna back. Anyway, this is chapter 1. I don't own Doctor Who or the characters. (Feel free to review. I always like a good comment.)_

"You've got to be kidding me." Donna frowned as she glanced outside the home she shared with both her mother and grandfather, her eyes narrowing as she focused on the silver car which was blocking the blue one her and her mother shared. Her lips formed a pout and she shook her head, folding her arms across her chest.

"I _hate_ it when that happens. They have the whole of Chiswick to park their car and they choose to block mine. Look at that, there's space down there, loads of it and yet there they go, parking up in front of some vulnerable stranger."

Sylvia had entered the room towards the end of her daughter's ramblings, and chuckled lightly to her words. "You? A vulnerable stranger?" Donna shot her gaze around, flashing her mother a look as if to say _'Shut up'_ before pushing herself away from the window.

"I'll 'av 'em won't get away with this." And with that, she walked off, grabbing her car keys from the side and made her way out of the house. Sylvia called back with a quick "Don't get into trouble." Which Donna simply ignored, and she quickly approached the silver car, pacing around it slowly. It was obvious what she was doing. She was trying to draw attention to herself in hope that the car's owner came along, and she was in luck.

A tall, skinny man in a long brown jacket approached, her brow raised and a small, yet still completely obvious smirk pasted across his lips. "Can I help you?" He asked, eyeing up the all familiar red headed woman.

Oh, Donna Noble. The Doctor could remember everything about her. Of course he could. She was his best friend, and now, even though he was stood just inches from her, she didn't recognise him. She couldn't remember him.

"Do you own this car?" She asked, looking the stranger up and down. He watched her do so, his smirk soon being replaced by a small smile and he nodded "I do, what is it to you?" He knew exactly what she was talking about, and he knew what she was doing. He'd parked the car deliberately in front of Donna's in the hope that she'd react this way and he'd been in luck.

"You parked it in front of my car." She uttered, gesturing towards the blue vehicle, and he simply nodded.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realise my parking would cause any problems. I'm John… John Smith. I've just moved in next door."

Donna averted her gaze to the house beside her own,the same house that had been empty for as long as she could remember and soon turned to look back at The Doctor. Her expression softened and she held out her hand, indicating for her new neighbour to shake it, and as he did, she spoke.

"John Smith, you say? What a wonderfully unoriginal name. Did your parents hate using their imagination?" She asked, prolonging the moment to do her own introduction, and as John laughed gently to her words, she soon continued. "I'm Donna… Noble."

The Doctor smiled. "It's lovely to meet you Donna Noble." And before he knew it, he was jumping in at the deep end. "How about I make it up to you properly, hm?" He asked, raising one brow as he watched Donna's face.

She was beautiful. He always had thought so and now, more than ever, he couldn't help but stare a little. Donna had noticed him, the way his dark brown eyes seemed to be starting right through her caused the hairs to stand up on the back of her neck and she was uncertain whether it was the good type, or the extremely negative type.

Did he fancy her? She didn't want to think such vain thoughts. They'd been speaking for just under five minutes and yet here she was, believing that this stranger could be interested in her. The only thing was that she wanted him to. She wanted this man to be attracted to her. He was good looking. Skinny, but never the less nice to look at.

Not one man had shown her any real attention since Shaun her ex husband. She knew the marriage wasn't going to last, but had gone along with it. She wanted to believe that she had a man to keep but once again, it ended rather abruptly. The red head was beginning to believe she was worthless when it came to men. She never seemed to have any luck.

"Are you okay?" She asked rather suddenly, taking a small step forward towards him. "You seem to be staring." It was the only way Donna could get the words out, and she wanted to know what he was looking at. She knew it was her, but she didn't see why. There was nothing special about her. She didn't think so.

"I was just wondering-"He started, allowing his gaze to look away from her for a moment before returning it, and he flashed her a warm, charming smile. "D'ya want to go for a drink? Let me make it up to you… for parking in front of your car. It's the least I can do, honestly."

Donna listened to his words, not sure how to respond. He could have been _anyone_. For all she knew, he could have been a serial killer and yet she was left not really caring. "I'd love to."

She really didn't know what had gotten into herself. She'd been so set in causing an argument with the owner of the silver car and yet now, she was swooning silently over him. He wasn't even her type. He had a predictable name, awful fashion sense and the skinniest frame she'd ever seen.

"There's a café at the end of the street. Shall we go there? It's not perfect, and the coffee's almost piss weak, but it'll do."

The Doctor laughed at Donna's remark, his two hearts beating hard against his chest at the all too familiar tone in her voice. He'd missed that. The way she'd describe things. Donna knew how to make him laugh, and it felt so good to be reunited with that.

"Sounds like a lovely place." He responded, almost sarcastically before moving himself from the spot and he started down the road, wanting Donna to lead the way.

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

Donna was right, the café wasn't perfect but The Doctor tolerated the weak cup of coffee to spend time with his friend. It felt unusual to know she recognised him now by only the simple name 'John Smith'. In fact, it hurt him deep inside to know she couldn't remember how their days used to go. Travelling, teasing… fun.

"So John Smith, what do you do? As a job. What do you do as a job?" Her hands were wrapped nicely around her only slightly warm coffee, and she brought the drink to her lips as she awaited his answer, pulling a face once doing so at the taste. However, she didn't comment on the drink, and simply waited patiently for the male to speak.

"I'm… a nurse." He said, thanking his own name silently for the slight inspiration. "Yes, a nurse." His smile grew wider in slight pride and he watched over to Donna. "How about you?". The red head glanced down for a moment and shook her head.

"A nurse?" She laughed, finding that almost amusing before shaking her head. "Isn't that a female's job?" But The Doctor did nothing more than a simple shake of his head. She then went on to answer his question, a small sigh escaping her lips. "Nothing, if I'm honest." But then found a smirk peering onto her expression and she looked back up to him. "But I have been known as the best temp in Chiswick. See these hands?" She lifted up both of her hands, her palms facing The Doctor. "100 words per minute. I'd like to see anyone else try that."

Oh, The Doctor's heart beat rapidly against his chest now. She'd told him that before, as The Doctor. Just before he'd made her forget the best days of her life. She'd stated a very similar sentence to that. He attempted to remain content, and was successful. His pain was deep within, and his exterior still acting as though John Smith. He was quiet the actor.

His lips formed a slight smile, and he forced a fairly convincing laugh before shaking his head. "I'm sure you were amazing."

Donna found herself feeling that unusual sensation again, her stomach fluttering as The Doctor spoke. Just the simple compliment made her swoon and she didn't know whether to curse herself or simply flirt with the guy. She wasn't used to this sort of thing.

"I was fantastic." She decided to come back with, the slight vanity in her words proving she was joking, and it seemed to have worked. The Doctor laughed and gave a grin. "I can imagine."

He was watching her now, staring once again. It seemed to be an action he couldn't stop. He was unaware he was doing it and he wasn't even intending to do so, but it came naturally. Although now, Donna seemed to be staring back at him, their gazes met and she found a soft gasp escape her lips. Never had she found herself in such a way, but as she studied his beautiful brown eyes and his gorgeous face, she seemed to get lost.

The moment lasted for at least a minute, and Donna was the one to break it, shaking herself out of it before putting on a smile as if it didn't happen. "Anyway, _Nurse_ Smith. How about we go and introduce you to my mum and my granddad? They always like it when a new neighbour comes and I'm sure they're going to love you. Trust me."

The Doctor nodded his head to acknowledge her words, and he knew he was going to have a lot of explaining to do to both Sylvia and Wilfred. His mind seemed set on imagining their reaction, and he was going to have to try and convince them as John Smith. He'd never let anything happen to Donna, and he knew they'd play along. It was for her safety, and all three of them wanted to make sure she was looked after.

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**('Gah. This chapters pretty dry. I should really plan my fanfics before I start them. ^^ )**

It was hard trying to act as though he was obvious to everything about Donna. Every time she mentioned something: A family friend or something she did when she was younger, The Doctor found that he was holding back from saying "You've already told me that, Donna." However, he remained as John, acting as this perfect neighbour.

They walked home, arm in arm causing Donna's heart to flutter slightly. She was aware she was falling for this man although felt slightly foolish for allowing herself to do so suddenly. He was still only a stranger and after previous relationships it seemed pathetic for her to be like this but he was so kind and she wanted that in a man. She wanted to be secure.

"Mum's going to _love_ you." She beamed whilst walking up to her house, squeezing his arm in the process. The Doctor gave back a soft smile although he couldn't help but feel anxious towards a reencounter with Sylvia.

He was aware she was never really all that keen on him when Donna was travelling with him and after what had happened it seemed slightly obvious that perhaps she felt worse about him now, but he wanted to sort that out and he hoped to god she'd keep quiet about the truth. It was such a dangerous path he'd chosen to see his friend again but with the help of her family, it would remain safe and peaceful. That was all he wanted for her.

Donna had opened the door and they were already entering, The Doctor gazing around the familiar doorway before hearing the familiar voice of Sylvia Noble. "Donna? Where on earth have you been? You said you were going to sort out whoever car that was out and that was two hours ago, I-" She came from the kitchen and into the living room where he and Donna were now stood, her mouth gaped open and a tea-towel loose in her hands. "What are you doing here?" She asked almost bitterly, showing obvious signs of disapproval.

The Doctor held his hands up a little to show he meant no harm before clearing his throat. "I'm John Smith. Just moved in next door… it's lovely to meet you." His brow was raised as if to say 'play along' and reluctantly, Sylvia did just that. "Yes… Oh, John… It's lovely to meet you too."

Her acting wasn't bad, and The Doctor flashed a grateful smile before turning back to Donna, the red head's face gleaming in some form of delight.

"I took John to the Café down the road. Not the nicest place to take a new neighbour but we had a nice chat. You'll get on with him just fine, mum." The Doctor was looking to Donna, watching her lips as she spoke before shaking himself out of it and he sat down as Sylvia acknowledged him to do so with the gentle nod of her head in the direction of the sofa.

"So, _John, _what do you do?" It was slightly awkward all of this sneaking around, but it appeared to Donna as though John and her mother were getting on, and for such a thing to happen delight her.

Before he could answer, Donna had done so for him. "He's a nurse. It's not the manliest job but nurses still save lives, right? It's everything we want with a neighbour isn't it? Someone who's always there for our aid when we injure ourselves."

She had sat herself down next to 'John', her body so close to his which caused the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He didn't know what had gotten into him and now Donna didn't know who he was or what he was, they seemed to have some sort of romantic chemistry between them both. "I'll do my best to help." He replied softly.

Sylvia remained standing, her expression continuing to show a brief amount of disapproval and after Donna and The Doctor concluded their current conversation, she approached the sofa and placed her hand gently on The Doctor's shoulder.

"John, sweetie… can I have a word with you in private?" Donna looked up to her mother and frowned but The Doctor nodded and slowly stood himself from his sitting position and followed out of the room.

Once Sylvia had closed the door, he rested against the wall, aware of everything, or mostly everything, the female was going to say.

"How dare you come back here!" She spat although kept her words to a minimum volume. "You've put my Donna in enough danger as it is and then you think you can waltz back and act as this John Smith man."

Her eyes were burning with an obvious form of anger which caused The Doctor to sigh. "I'll keep her safe, Sylvia." He wanted to reassure her but even he knew that was easier said than done. "I-I just missed her so much that I couldn't think of a better way to see her again. You understand that, don't you?"

Sylvia didn't say anything in response, so The Doctor continued. "When I was with Donna, I was happier than I had been in a long time. She gave my life meaning and I gave hers meaning. She was amazing. She showed me intelligence and humour and I didn't want to let that go. I- well- I think I love her."

The Doctor's mouth felt dry at the very confession although soon felt relief as Sylvia's expression softened. "I understand." She said finally before nodding her head. "But if you hurt her, I'll make sure I-"

She was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. Wilfred was stood there, his eyes wide and his hands filled with the equipment he'd been using up on the hill.

"Doctor?" he asked, his eyes instantly filling with tears which showed his shock and his confusion. "You can't be here. You're not allowed to be here… you said so yourself. Is Donna alright? Please… tell me she's alright."

Sylvia watched her father and sighed, approaching him before closing the door and she soon placed her hand behind his back, directing him to the living room. "She's fine dad. The Doctor's acting as our neighbour. He's called John Smith. He isn't The Doctor. Not right now… not when Donna's here."

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

Wilf was confused, obviously, and with slight reluctance, pushed through to the living room, aiming to act up to this 'John Smith' thing. He would do whatever The Doctor wanted him to. He looked up to that man with the upmost of dignity. He understood how much he had influenced Donna's life whilst she was travelling with him and he appreciated that. "We've got a new neighbour Donna, isn't that great! Oh, a new friend…" Wilf sounded so enthusiastic, being his usual cheery and wonderful self. His actions caused The Doctor to smile so gratefully, his expression however, kept to himself. "And it's lovely to meet you too… Mr…" "Mott." Wilf responded. "Wilfred Mott, sir."

Donna watched them, smiling to herself at the introduction of both her new neighbour, John Smith and her beloved grandfather. "Nurse John Smith." The redhead beamed, smirking lightly as she did which caused The Doctor to chuckle slightly. Oh, he'd definitely missed that cheeky side that came with Donna Noble. She was a tease and he had always loved that. He admired that in her more than anything and the ability she seemed to possess of turning a completely dull situation into one that had him laughing. She was talented and so, so special and she didn't even see that.

"Nurse?" Wilf replied, smiling widely. "We could do with a nurse. Take a tumble, all we have to do is call next door. That's fantastic!" For anyone that didn't know the circumstances would fall for this. Donna was falling for this. The way her mother, grandfather and neighbour were acting seemed nothing out of the ordinary. Everything seemed normal. Well, as normal as it could get.

"Anyway, I best get off." The Doctor soon stated, rubbing his hands together before making his way towards the living room door. Before opening it however, glanced over his shoulder. "Oh, Donna…" He started, flashing her a charming and charismatic smile "Let me take you for dinner tonight? I'll… pick you up at 7?" He waited on her reply, grinning as she accepted with "Yes, I'd love that… thank you!" before leaving, making his own way out of the house.

XXXXXXX

Since John had asked her, Donna couldn't help but become excited by the simple thought of going out to dinner with one of the most handsome men she had ever met. Of course, she did have a few concerns, mostly being those that surrounded the fact that it was too soon and they had only just met. But then again, she didn't want to care about that. He was so warm and welcoming that she attempted to keep all worries to a minimum.

She'd already picked herself out an outfit and although oblivious as to the type of place he would be taking her, settled on knee-length emerald coloured dress, knowing that the shade would contrast with her red hair. By 6pm, she was ready, the dress hugging her figure, curves in _all_ of the right places and her hair clipped up into an elegant looking bun, two tendrils framing he pretty face. For once, she felt beautiful. Never before had she had the chance to dress up like she had done now, and although knowing she was possibly a little too overdressed, knew that John would appreciate it. She hoped to god he'd appreciate it.

The Doctor wanted to scrub up well. After all, he wanted to be the best he could towards Donna and because he knew of the past she couldn't remember, he wanted to make up for it. He owed that to her at least. He'd changed into a pair of trousers and having only recently bought them especially for this dinner date, they looked fresh and smart. He was wearing a white shirt, a bow-tie accompanying it and although also believing he was a little over dressed, knew it would be needed. He was aware of the type of place he was taking his old friend.

At 6:55, he made his way next door, realising he was five minutes early but he was eager. He placed a firm knock on the door and when seeing it was Donna who had answered, eyed her up and down in a form of affection and grinned. "You look lovely! Absolutely beautiful!" This only caused Donna to grin. "And you scrub up well, John. Look at you. Whe-Where are we going?" Her brow raised in curiosity and she pursed her lips.

"Oh, I was thinking… I don't know… perhaps that café you and I had that _delightful_ cup of coffee in earlier. Or, my other choice which may be appealing to you… Mcdonalds?" The Doctor held a convincing tone for a moment before interrupting all seriousness with a chuckle, causing Donna to nudge him. "Seriously, where are we going?"

"I reserved a table in a nice restaurant in the city. Great place! Lovely chandelier hanging from the ceiling and all. Flashy place, extremely flashy OH, and I've heard it's a celebrity hotspot." He was rambling, acting as his usual Doctor self but now, he wasn't The Doctor. He didn't want to spoil anything with his superior intelligence. He knew he was a very clever man but his knowledge was greater than any human being and he didn't want to jeopardize anything by showing that side. 

At the mention of celebrities, Donna's eyes widened. "You mean… we could be sitting there and some famous person could walk past us? Whist we're eating… that is FANTASTIC! You- you're not wasting money on me are you?" The Doctor shook his head. "Of course not."

A cab soon pulled up, Donna stepping out of her house and she linked arms with The Doctor once closing the door. She was feeling optimistic about the whole evening now more than ever. Especially now she'd formed an image of the type of place John was taking her to.

The car journey lasted around forty five minutes, a lengthy journey indeed for something so simple as a dinner date, but never the less, the traffic to get into the city wasn't too swell. Pulling up outside a swanky looking restaurant, Donna peered out of the window, her lips parting and a small "bloody hell" escaping them. The Doctor laughed gently, opening the cab door to get out and once stood on the curb, held the door for Donna, responding with a smile as she gave him one. "Why thank you very much, kind sir." She spoke, a mock accent lingering within her tone and she gave such a cheeky smirk. Once again, as the cab drove away, she linked her arm within his, allowing him to lead the way.

Entering and once having a proper gaze around, Donna gasped. "Oh god John, this is lovely!" By the expression placed across her face, it was obvious she was in awe. "Why did you pick this place? I mean, for me… it's so posh and I-I'm not posh and it must cost a bomb. Wh-" The Doctor hushed her, laughing a little although uncertainty shun through his tone. "I hope you don't think I'm coming on too strong, Donna." His words were soft and he stopped in his tracks for a moment, mostly to wait to be taken to their table but never the less, he looked at Donna. "I wanted to make an impression and you deserve nothing more than the best. Every woman deserves special treatment and well, I knew you'd like this place. I certainly do."

The way he spoke touched Donna, the kind heart John seemed to have made her feel so warm and almost… gooey. Although of course, she would never admit to that. She didn't say anything, instead, followed the waiter once he'd finally decided to show them to their table, a lovely lit candle placed in the middle. It looked so romantic and Donna appreciated that. It was exactly what she wanted.

Sitting down, The Doctor picked up a menu, looking over to Donna briefly before down to the words printed across the rather posh looking booklet. "Hm…" he mused unintentionally, raising a brow as he scanned the different meals briefly. "Spaghetti sounds nice. Hm, Spaghetti Cabonara? What is that… cheesy pasta? I like cheese _and_ pasta… although, it's cream cheese isn't it?"

He glanced up to Donna who seemed to be laughing at his ramblings. "Yes, John. It's like…a creamy cheese sauce and it's delicious." She smiled with her teeth, such warmth in her expression which caused The Doctor to smile. "Then, I shall have that. What are you having?"

Donna hadn't even looked at her menu, deciding immediately what she wanted. "Actually, I'll have the same. Or… maybe we could share?"

**TBC.**

four


End file.
